Tricky LR PT30-S2-Q17 Forum

[umichan]

Does anyone know why B is the correct answer? I do not understand the flaw here, and answer choice B makes no sense for me (I think it is comparing the same thing!) Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

[js1663]

The question gives you the following information - a very small percentage (could 0.1%, 5%, who knows), of people from the service injuries serve on the board of the 600 largest corporations. However, without further information, just because there's a small percentage doesn't mean they are underrepresented. Maybe there are 30,000,000 service people, of which 0.1%, or 30,000, serve on boards. In fact, to make it even more extreme, maybe there are 30,000 total positions on the board, of which all 30,000 are occupied by service members. They still are a tiny percentage of the overall number of service people (1 out of 1000), but they certainly aren't underrepresented. Every other industry would be underrepresented if this were true (assuming other industries exist, should be represented, etc) since despite the small percentage overall, they are the only ones represented.

So without knowing any further information, simply knowing that a small percentage of one group is board members doesn't tell you if it's over represented or underrepresented.

A correct way of doing this would be to argue that there are 30,000,000 service people in the country, of which 1 serves on the boards, while every other industry has at least 5 people serving on boards per 30,000,000 people. Or, alternatively, to argue that the service industry represents 20% of the population but only 5% of members on the boards are from the service industry. These would be more reasonable (though not perfect) way of writing such an argument.

[Christine (MLSAT)]

What do you think of this argument?

• PREMISE: Only a tiny percentage of white men become President of the United States
  CONCLUSION: Clearly, white men are underrepresented among US presidents.

Ridiculous, right? It's ridiculous because even though only a tiny percentage of white men get to be POTUS, the vast majority of POTUSes have been white men.

To say that a group is underrepresented, you need to know two things: 1) how much of the larger pool that group makes up and 2) how much of the selective subset that group makes up. Comparing those two percents tells you if a group is under or overrepresented.

For instance, if a school is 40% women and 60% men, but the student council is 30% women and 70% men, the women would be "underrepresented". BOTH groups might have "only a very small percentage" get onto student council, but one group is over-represented.

[umichan]

What do you think of this argument?

• PREMISE: Only a tiny percentage of white men become President of the United States
  CONCLUSION: Clearly, white men are underrepresented among US presidents.

Ridiculous, right? It's ridiculous because even though only a tiny percentage of white men get to be POTUS, the vast majority of POTUSes have been white men.

To say that a group is underrepresented, you need to know two things: 1) how much of the larger pool that group makes up and 2) how much of the selective subset that group makes up. Comparing those two percents tells you if a group is under or overrepresented.

For instance, if a school is 40% women and 60% men, but the student council is 30% women and 70% men, the women would be "underrepresented". BOTH groups might have "only a very small percentage" get onto student council, but one group is over-represented.

Hi Christine, thank you very much for the help. Now I think I get the point. Really appreciate!

[umichan]

The question gives you the following information - a very small percentage (could 0.1%, 5%, who knows), of people from the service injuries serve on the board of the 600 largest corporations. However, without further information, just because there's a small percentage doesn't mean they are underrepresented. Maybe there are 30,000,000 service people, of which 0.1%, or 30,000, serve on boards. In fact, to make it even more extreme, maybe there are 30,000 total positions on the board, of which all 30,000 are occupied by service members. They still are a tiny percentage of the overall number of service people (1 out of 1000), but they certainly aren't underrepresented. Every other industry would be underrepresented if this were true (assuming other industries exist, should be represented, etc) since despite the small percentage overall, they are the only ones represented.

So without knowing any further information, simply knowing that a small percentage of one group is board members doesn't tell you if it's over represented or underrepresented.

A correct way of doing this would be to argue that there are 30,000,000 service people in the country, of which 1 serves on the boards, while every other industry has at least 5 people serving on boards per 30,000,000 people. Or, alternatively, to argue that the service industry represents 20% of the population but only 5% of members on the boards are from the service industry. These would be more reasonable (though not perfect) way of writing such an argument.

Hi js1663, thank you very much for the detailed explanation! Now I think I get the point of this question. Really appreciate it!